MOLECULAR

Goal: identification of cell types and associated key molecules

Molecular techniques used: 

• Single-cell RNA-seq

• Big data analysis (transcriptomics)

• In situ hybridization

• Immunohistochemistry

CELLULAR

Goal: validate and causally interpret cell types and molecules

Cellular techniques used:

• Patch-clamp electrophysiology

• Cell-type-specific gene knockouts (CRISPR)

CIRCUIT

Goal: map molecules and cell types onto circuits and develop circuit-specific access 

Circuit techniques used:

• Virus-mediated anterograde and retrograde circuit mapping

• Circuit-specific silencing and activation

BEHAVIOURAL

Goal: interpret behavior with molecular, cell-type, and circuit specificity

Behavioural techniques used:

• Combine mouse behaviour with molecular-, cellular-, and/or circuit-specific interventions

• 1P, 2P, and 3P calcium imaging during behaviour

Mark S. Cembrowski, MS, PhD Short CV (May 2024) | mark.cembrowski@ubc.ca

Primary affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia

Other affiliations:

• Investigator, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, UBC

• Associate Member, School of Biomedical Engineering, UBC

• Associate Member, Department of Mathematics, UBC

• Next Generation Leader, Allen Institute

• Scholar, Michael Smith Health Research BC

• Associate Director, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, UBC

Larissa Kraus, PhD CV | Google Scholar | larissa.kraus@ubc.ca

CIHR Postdoctoral Fellow | Walter Benjamin Programme Postdoctoral Fellow

Larissa’s research focuses on identifying subpopulations of cells in healthy and diseased human brain tissue. In this way, she hopes to identify novel mechanisms to treat neurological diseases, such as epilepsy. Before joining the Cembrowski lab and moving to Vancouver, Larissa completed her PhD in Berlin, Germany (2020).

Kaitlin Sullivan CV | Google Scholar

PhD Candidate | Royal Canadian Legion Master’s Scholar | Canada Graduate Scholar - Master’s | Canadian Open Neuroscience Platform Scholar | Canada Graduate Scholar - Doctoral | UBC Four-Year Fellow

Kaitlin's research is focused on identifying neuronal subpopulations that participate in various stages of fear memory. Originally from Vancouver, Kaitlin completed her undergraduate degree in Cognitive Science at McGill University in 2016. During this time, she also completed an honours thesis project in the lab of Dr. Derek Bowie, where she investigated the expression of voltage gated sodium channels in the cerebellum. 

Adrienne Kinman CV | akinman@student.ubc.ca

PhD Candidate | Benjamin Feldman and Family Endowment Fund for Transformational Activity in Mental Health Awardee | Canada Graduate Scholar - Master’s | Postgraduate Scholar - Doctoral | UBC Four-Year Fellow

Adrienne’s research focuses on the characterization of cell types involved in fear memory during behaviour, and how the activity of these cells can change under pharmacologic interventions. Previously, Adrienne completed a BA in psychology at McGill University, and then worked at the Mouse Imaging Centre at The Hospital for Sick Children where she assessed neuroanatomical and behavioural responses to drug treatments for autism spectrum disorder.

Mathias Delhaye CV

PhD Candidate (co-supervised with Ann Marie Craig)

Mathias' research focuses on assessing synaptic composition in hippocampal subregions in relation to epilepsy. For this purpose, he will adapt the Expansion Microscopy to apply it on human samples. Originally from France, Mathias studied at the École Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay and is currently registered at the Sorbonne University Master of Neuroscience.

Daemon L. Cline CV | Google Scholar | dlcline@student.ubc.ca

PhD Candidate | NSERC Canada Graduate Scholar- Doctoral | UBC Four-Year Fellow

Daemon's current research focuses on the neuroendocrinology of energy metabolism by studying hormones produced in the periphery that act on energy-regulating centres of the brain. Daemon completed his BSc in Biochemistry at UNBC with a thesis centred on disturbance ecology of streams in Northern BC. He then earned a MSc of Biochemistry at UNBC in the lab of Dr Sarah Gray, where he studied energy-regulating hormones.  

Derek Merryweather CV | dmerrywe@student.ubc.ca

PhD Candidate

Derek is interested in the intrinsic properties, circuit architecture, and functional output of the subiculum, as it relates to memory and cognition. He received is BS in human physiology from the University of Oregon, after which he worked as a technician for the GENIE Project at the Janelia Research Campus, and he completed his masters at NYU in Dr. Adam Carter's lab.

Shalini Iyer CV | siyer13@student.ubc.ca

PhD Candidate | NSERC Postgraduate Scholar - Doctoral | UBC Four-Year Fellow | BC Research Scholar

Shalini is currently completing her MSc in Neuroscience at York University, investigating the role of a bioactive lipid signalling molecule on hippocampal development and the link to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the Cembrowski lab, Shalini is interested in investigating developmental abnormalities of specific cell types within the deep subiculum and neocortex using the valproate model of ASD

Regan Campbell CV | recampb@student.ubc.ca

PhD Student | CIHR Canada Graduate Scholar - Master’s

Regan is combining computational modeling and in-vivo multi-photon calcium imaging to identify how neuronal morphology shapes cellular computations, and how these computations operate in-vivo to give rise to cell-type specific functions in the subiculum. She previously completed her H.BSc in Neuroscience and Applied Statistics at the University of Toronto. During this time, she completed her honours thesis in Dr. Rutsuko Ito’s lab, where she investigated the role of the hippocampus in temporal memory and motivational conflict.

Brianna Bristow CV | brianna.bristow@ubc.ca

PhD Student | NSERC Postgraduate Scholar - Doctoral | UBC Four-Year Fellow | Dorothy May Ladner Memorial Fellow | CIHR Canada Graduate Scholar - Master’s

Brianna’s research focuses on characterizing a novel cell type exemplifying a unique transcriptomic profile in the cortex. Previously, Brianna completed her BSc in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at the University of British Columbia. Here, she completed her thesis work in the Ciernia Lab, where she developed functional assays to measure microglial activation in vitro and optimized media conditions to best model the brain microenvironment.

Catie Futhey CV | cfuthey@student.ubc.ca

MD-PhD Student (co-supervised with Veronica Hirsch-Reinshagen) | CIHR Canada Graduate Scholar - Master’s | UBC Four-Year Fellow

Catie is a first year MD-PhD student at UBC interested in neuro-immune crosstalk in the brain. She will be working on a joint project with Dr. Veronica Hirsch-Reinshagen studying the neuroinflammatory and synaptic changes observed in Alzheimer’s Disease and schizophrenia. Catie completed her BSc in Neuroscience at McGill University where her research with Dr. Jack Antel investigated the role of Vitamin D in Multiple Sclerosis pathophysiology.

Ryan Ripsman (starting September 2024) CV

MD-PhD Student

Ryan is an incoming MD/PhD student at UBC. He is interested in the interactions between brain tumours and the neuronal microenvironment. Ryan completed his undergraduate degree in physics and his master's degree in laboratory medicine and pathobiology at the University of Toronto. For his master's research he worked on integrating multi-omic liquid biopsy technology into a precision oncology program at SickKids Hospital.

Margarita Kapustina CV | margokap@student.ubc.ca

MSc Student | CIHR Canada Graduate Scholar - Master’s

Margarita's research focuses on identifying functionally distinct neuronal subpopulations in layer 6b of the mouse and human neocortex. She completed a BSc in biology at UBC, conducting her undergraduate research thesis and NSERC USRA in our lab, identifying layer 6b neuronal subtypes through big data analyses and in situ techniques.

Sarah Erwin CV | sarah.erwin@ubc.ca

Technician IV | Cordula and Gunter Paetzold Fellow | CIHR Canada Graduate Scholar - Master’s

Sarah is combining molecular, circuit, and behavioural techniques to study the precise cell-type logic of memory and anxiety in the hippocampus. Prior to joining the Cembrowski lab, Sarah worked as a technician at HHMI Janelia Research Campus, as well as a research assistant in a monogastric animal nutrition lab at Michigan State University.

Ali Tarik aatarik@student.ubc.ca

Physiology, Pharmacology and Neurobiology Co-op Student

Ali is a third year Physiology, Pharmacology and Neurobiology student at UBC. He is interested in exploring experimental neuroscience and the physiological structures that impact memory in the brain. His work as a Directed Studies student involves analyzing the electrophysiological, morphological, and connectivity rules of layer 6b neurons.

Aditya Swaro CV | adiswaro@student.ubc.ca

Neuroscience Undergraduate Student | SBME Synergy Awardee | SURE Awardee

Aditya is a third-year Neuroscience undergraduate student at UBC. He is interested in exploring neuron degeneration through computational approaches. At the Cembrowski Lab, he develops computational tools for interpreting traumatic brain injury spatial transcriptomics data, and web portals to host these data and tools.

Ming Zhang CV (starting summer 2024)

Neuroscience Undergraduate Student | SURE Awardee | SBME Synergy Awardee

Ming is a third-year Neuroscience undergraduate student at UBC. She is interested in exploring the impacts of chronic anxiety on memory formation in the brain. In the Cembrowski lab, she is applying computational and experimental approaches to understanding how long-range projections covary with local neuronal morphology.

Kate Dunne CV | kd172273@student.ubc.ca

Honours Cellular, Anatomical and Physiological Sciences Undergraduate Student | NSERC USRA Awardee

Kate is a 4th year Cellular, Anatomical, and Physiological Sciences major also pursuing a minor in Animal Biology at UBC. She is interested in improving our spatial understanding of cell types within the brain. As a directed studies student, Kate is applying immunohistochemical techniques to understand Alzheimer’s disease progression in the mouse brain.

Esther Kim

Chemical Biology Undergraduate Student

Esther is in her fourth year, studying a combined major in Chemical Biology at UBC. She is interested in delving further into the fields of experimental neuroscience, as well as the impacts of cellular processes for understanding memory in the brain. Her work at the Cembrowski lab has involved studied memory-related behaviour and Alzheimer’s disease.

Lucie Wang

Honours Cellular, Anatomical and Physiological Sciences Undergraduate Student

Lucie is a third year Honours Cellular, Anatomical, and Physiological Sciences student. She is interested in mapping out brain circuits in the subiculum of the hippocampus, using immunostaining and microscopy.

Riya Gandhi

Neuroscience, Pharmacology, and Physiology Co-op Undergraduate Student

Riya is a third-year Integrated Sciences student studying Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Physiology. She is interested in exploring the neural substrates underlying fear memory and anxiety.

Kapustina, M.*, Zhang, A.A.*, Tsai, J.Y.J., Bristow B.N., Kraus, L., Sullivan, K.E., Erwin, S.R., Wang, L., Stach, T.R., Clements, J., Lemire, A.L., Cembrowski, M.S. The cell-type-specific spatial organization of the anterior thalamic nuclei of the mouse brain. Cell Reports 2024.

Guskjolen, A., Cembrowski, M.S. Engram neurons: Encoding, consolidation, retrieval, and forgetting of memory. Molecular Psychiatry 2023.

Sullivan, K.E., Kraus, L., Kapustina, M., Wang, L., Stach, T., Clements, J., Lemire, A., Cembrowski, M.S. Sharp cell-type-identity changes differentiate the retrosplenial cortex from the neocortex. Cell Reports 2023.

O’Leary, T.P.*, Kendrick, R.M.*, Bristow, B.N., Sullivan, K.E., Wang, L., Clements, J., Lemire, A., Cembrowski, M.S. Neuronal cell types, projections, and spatial organization of the central amygdala. iScience 2022.

Erwin, S.E.*, Bristow, B.N.*, Kendrick, R.M., Sullivan, K.E., Marriot, B., Wang, L., Clements, J., Lemire, A., Jackson, J., Cembrowski, M.S. Spatially patterned excitatory neuron subtypes and projections of the claustrum. eLife 10:e68967. 2021.

Sullivan, K.E.*, Kendrick, R.K.*, Cembrowski, M.S. Elucidating memory in the brain via single‐cell transcriptomics. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 2021.

O’Leary, T.P.*, Sullivan, K.E.*, Wang, L., Clements, J., Lemire, A., Cembrowski, M.S. Extensive and spatially variable within-cell-type heterogeneity across the basolateral amygdala. eLife 9:e59003. 2020.

• eLife “Striking Image”

Erwin, S.R.*, Sun, W.*, Copeland, M., Lindo, S., Spruston, N., Cembrowski, M.S. A sparse, spatially biased subtype of mature granule cell dominates activity in hippocampal-associated behaviors. Cell Reports 31(4):1-2. 2020..

Cembrowski, M.S. Single-cell transcriptomics as a framework and roadmap for understanding the brain. Journal of Neuroscience Methods. 326:1-7. 2019.

Cembrowski, M.S., Spruston, N. Integrating results across methodologies is essential for producing robust neuronal taxonomies. Neuron 94(1): 747-751, 2017.

Cembrowski, M.S., Wang., L., Sugino, K., Shields, B.C., Spruston, N. Hipposeq: a comprehensive RNA-seq database of gene expression in hippocampal principal neurons. eLife 5, 10.7554/eLife.14997, 2016.

Bloss, E.B., Cembrowski, M.S., Karsh, B., Colonell, J., Fetter, R., Spruston, N. Structured patterns of dendritic inhibition support branch-specific forms of integration in CA1 pyramidal cells. Neuron 89(5): 1016-1030, 2016.

Cembrowski, M.S., Bachman, J.L., Wang, L., Sugino, K., Shields, B.C., Spruston, N. Spatial gene-expression gradients underlie prominent heterogeneity of CA1 pyramidal neurons. Neuron 89(2): 351-368, 2016.

• ·Featured article of the issue. Previewed by Tushev, G. and Schuman, E.M. Rethinking Functional Segregation: Gradients of Gene Expression in Area CA1. Neuron 89(2):242-243, 2016.

• ·Of Outstanding Interest. Mallory, C.S. and Giocomo, L.M. Heterogeneity within hippocampal place coding. Review, Current Opinion in Neurobiology 49:158-167, 2018.

• ·Highlighted reference (1 of 6). Soltesz, I. and Losonczy, A. CA1 pyramidal cell diversity enabling parallel information processing in the hippocampus. Review, Nature Neuroscience 21(18): 484-493, 2018.

• Of Special Interest. Valero, M. and de la Prida, L,M. The hippocampus in depth: a sublayer-specific perspective of entorhinal–hippocampal function. Review, Current Opinion in Neurobiology 52:107-114, 2018.

• Of Special Interest. Suvrathan, A. Beyond STDP – Towards Diverse and Functionally Relevant Plasticity Rules. Review, Current Opinion in Neurobiology 54:12-19, 2019.

Kim, Y.*, Hsu, C.-L.*, Cembrowski, M.S., Mensh, B.D., Spruston, N. Dendritic sodium spikes are required for long-term potentiation at distal synapses on hippocampal pyramidal neurons. eLife 4, doi:10.7554/eLife.06414, 2015. *: authors contributed equally

• ·Recommendation on Faculty of 1000.

Choi, H., Lei, Zhang, L., Cembrowski, M.S., Sabottke, C.F., Markowitz, A.L., Butts, D.A., Kath, W.L., Singer, J.H., Riecke, H. Intrinsic bursting of AII amacrine cells underlies oscillations in the rd1 mouse retina. Journal of Neurophysiology 112(6): 1491-1504, 2014.

Ke, J., Wang, Y., Borghuis, B.G., Cembrowski, M.S., Riecke, H., Kath, W.L., Demb, J.B., Singer, J.H. Adaptation to background light enables contrast coding at rod bipolar cell synapses. Neuron 81(2): 388-401, 2014.

• ·Recommendation on Faculty of 1000.

Cembrowski, M.S., Logan, S., Tian, M., Jia, L., Li, W., Kath, W.L., Riecke, H., Singer, J.H. The mechanisms of repetitive spike generation in an axonless retinal interneuron. Cell Reports 1(2): 155-166, 2012.

Jarsky, T.*, Cembrowski, M.S.*, Logan, S., Kath, W.L., Riecke, H., Demb, J., Singer, J.H. A synaptic mechanism for retinal adaptation to luminance and contrast. The Journal of Neuroscience 31(30): 11003-110515, 2011. *: authors contributed equally

Mark S. Cembrowski received his BSc in Mathematics from the University of British Columbia (2007), where he conducted research examining complex oscillatory behaviour of a sixth-order nonlinear partial differential equation. He later received his MS (2008) and PhD (2011) in Applied Mathematics from Northwestern University, where he combined computational modeling and patch-clamp electrophysiology to study retinal processing as a joint student between William Kath, Hermann Riecke, and Joshua Singer.

As a postdoc, Mark worked in the laboratory of Nelson Spruston at the Janelia Research Campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. His research combined computational modeling, big data analysis, transcriptomics, electrophysiology, viral circuit mapping, and animal behaviour to study the role of cell types in memory.

Currently, Mark is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences at the University of British Columbia, and an Investigator with the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health. He is also a Next Generation Leader with the Allen Institute and a Visiting Scientist with the Janelia Research Campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

In his spare time, Mark practises and teaches yoga, handstands, and calisthenics.

Mark's short CV (current as of May 2024) is here.

Cembrowski Lab featured in SelectScience (video, article)

Mark interviewed in Science

Mark interviewed in Nature Methods

Mark presents research at the Allen Institute Showcase Symposium